Palo Alto, CA (PR Newswire) - Based on the powerful Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM) email authentication protocol, the SbS2.0™ Secure Branding System simultaneously addresses the email fraud problem and improves the consumer/brand relationship. The SbS2.0™ is composed of 3 components that work together to sign, track, authenticate, and brand each email, going beyond the original DKIM specification to provide additional visibility and protection.

The SbS2.0™ uses the sender's brand logo as a 'trustmark' that an email is safe and can be opened. Instead of being presented with a list of text "from" addresses, many of which are easily obfuscated or spoofed, an authenticated email is marked with the brand logo of the sender. The presence of the sender's logo and a "secure icon" from Brandmail Solutions guarantees that this email is authentic.

To send a Branded Email, a Brandmail Solutions sending partner uses either their own Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) if it supports DKIM or an SbS2.0™ Writer to affix a DKIM digital signature to their outbound email.

When the email is received at a Brandmail Solutions partner ISP, the ISP uses the SbS2.0™ Reader to inspect the DKIM signature to verify the sender and prove that nothing has tampered with the email en-route.

Upon validation, the SbS2.0™ Secure Branding System renders the brand logo of the sender in the From: field of the email client, providing a highly visible brand impression and mark of trust that this email is indeed valid and can be safely opened.

At the time of authentication and branding, the SbS2.0™ Reader communicates with the Brandmail Solutions Control Center. The addition of the Control Center is a key improvement over stock DKIM implementations. "DKIM was initially designed to encourage rapid widespread adoption, and so it leverages the ubiquitous Domain Name System to distribute public keys" said Noel Ruane, CEO of Brandmail Solutions. “Unfortunately, there are a number of inherent security limitations in using DNS for this function. We felt that we had to address those issues in order to provide a true anti-phishing guarantee."

Among other things, the Control Center uses secured communication links to rapidly distribute key pairs, eliminating any possibility of spoofing or cache poisoning, problems that are well known with DNS. Another important function that the Control Center provides is tracking the fate of every email, so that a complete accounting of delivered and opened is possible - preventing certain attacks known as ‘message replay attacks'.

“We have taken a great standard 'DKIM' and improved on it. With our rapidly growing set of partners, we are poised to provide great value to every member of the email value chain - senders, ISPs, and recipients."

Brandmail Solutions is a global pioneer in email verification and branding. Working with technology companies and service providers across the email ecosystem, Brandmail Solutions provides a complete and scalable system that not only safeguards end users against phishing but also intuitively enhances the overall email experience.

With the SbS2.0™ Secure Branding System, Brandmail Solutions is quite literally “changing the face of email.”™ Estabilished in 2006, Brandmail Solutions has offices in the United States, Ireland, and Germany.